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Average Veterinary Assistant Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A veterinary assistant in United Kingdom earns about 58,600 GBP a year. That's 16% below the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 25,500 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 93,100 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a veterinary assistant make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
58,600 GBP
4,883 GBP per month
Lowest reported
25,500 GBP
2,125 GBP per month
Highest reported
93,100 GBP
7,758 GBP per month

A typical veterinary assistant working in United Kingdom brings home around 4,883 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 25,500 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 93,100 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior veterinary assistant working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the veterinary assistant salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How veterinary assistant pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all veterinary assistants in United Kingdom earn less than 64,800 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 42,600 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 83,900 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of veterinary assistants sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 25,500 GBP. The highest stretch to 93,100 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

25,500
Low
64,800
Median
93,100
High
42,600
25th
83,900
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Veterinary assistant pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a veterinary assistant in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical veterinary assistant salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    32,900 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +25% from previous
    41,000 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +46% from previous
    59,900 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +22% from previous
    73,300 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +9% from previous
    79,600 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +13% from previous
    89,800 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 46%. That is the point at which a veterinary assistant typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Veterinary assistant pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving veterinary assistant pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average veterinary assistant salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • High School
    36,600 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +50% from previous
    54,900 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +73% from previous
    95,100 GBP

Veterinary assistant gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male veterinary assistants in United Kingdom earn an average of 59,800 GBP a year, while female veterinary assistants earn around 56,600 GBP. That works out to a 6% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Veterinary Assistant gender pay gap

5%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 59,800 GBP
Women 56,600 GBP

Pay raises for a veterinary assistant in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 11% every 16 months, which works out to roughly 8% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Veterinary assistant bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

36%

36% of veterinary assistants in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a veterinary assistant a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 64% of veterinary assistants reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Veterinary assistant: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Veterinary assistant salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Veterinary assistant pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Birmingham
  • Sheffield
  • Glasgow
  • London
  • Bristol
  • Cardiff
  • Leicester
  • Edinburgh
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion115,600 GBP127,700 GBP53,500-187,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion81,000 GBP86,100 GBP36,800-127,600 GBP
BirminghamCity71,700 GBP74,200 GBP32,600-112,700 GBP
SheffieldCity71,200 GBP77,000 GBP31,700-111,700 GBP
GlasgowCity70,800 GBP76,000 GBP32,200-108,200 GBP
LondonCity69,700 GBP75,900 GBP32,300-114,600 GBP
BristolCity68,500 GBP76,000 GBP32,200-108,200 GBP
CardiffCity67,500 GBP73,500 GBP29,400-107,700 GBP
LeicesterCity67,300 GBP71,400 GBP29,600-109,000 GBP
EdinburghCity66,900 GBP68,500 GBP30,700-105,200 GBP
LeedsCity66,100 GBP71,700 GBP30,200-109,000 GBP
LiverpoolCity65,700 GBP72,000 GBP32,900-107,700 GBP
SomersetCity65,400 GBP69,400 GBP29,100-105,200 GBP
PortsmouthCity65,200 GBP68,500 GBP30,800-103,600 GBP
PeterboroughCity64,900 GBP69,700 GBP27,300-100,700 GBP
SwanseaCity64,500 GBP69,800 GBP30,100-100,700 GBP
BrightonCity63,900 GBP66,200 GBP28,900-101,100 GBP
NewcastleCity63,800 GBP70,800 GBP29,300-103,600 GBP
AberdeenCity63,700 GBP66,200 GBP29,300-100,100 GBP
DerbyCity63,500 GBP66,100 GBP27,400-99,700 GBP
ManchesterCity63,400 GBP68,300 GBP31,200-102,700 GBP
ArmaghCity63,200 GBP67,400 GBP26,900-97,400 GBP
BradfordCity63,000 GBP67,500 GBP29,300-97,300 GBP
PlymouthCity62,600 GBP67,600 GBP29,000-95,400 GBP
BelfastCity62,600 GBP67,600 GBP29,000-95,400 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity61,800 GBP67,900 GBP29,900-100,300 GBP
NottinghamCity61,700 GBP66,400 GBP28,900-97,900 GBP
CoventryCity61,500 GBP65,700 GBP28,900-100,500 GBP
SouthamptonCity61,300 GBP65,400 GBP29,600-98,100 GBP
NorwichCity61,300 GBP65,400 GBP29,600-97,600 GBP
HartlepoolCity59,800 GBP64,300 GBP27,300-92,500 GBP
OxfordCity58,800 GBP64,200 GBP29,600-94,800 GBP
YorkCity58,700 GBP64,600 GBP25,800-95,500 GBP
GloucesterCity58,700 GBP63,700 GBP27,300-92,900 GBP
DundeeCity58,600 GBP62,100 GBP27,800-90,300 GBP
PooleCity58,600 GBP64,800 GBP25,500-93,100 GBP
DerryCity58,600 GBP62,100 GBP27,800-90,300 GBP
LisburnCity58,100 GBP59,900 GBP27,800-89,400 GBP
WolverhamptonCity58,000 GBP63,800 GBP28,800-93,600 GBP
ExeterCity57,800 GBP59,800 GBP27,400-91,000 GBP
ChesterCity57,800 GBP61,800 GBP25,800-92,100 GBP
DurhamCity57,200 GBP60,800 GBP25,800-91,900 GBP
NewportCity57,100 GBP60,600 GBP25,800-91,200 GBP
WalesRegion57,100 GBP62,500 GBP26,600-91,700 GBP
StirlingCity56,900 GBP63,700 GBP27,300-92,300 GBP
NewryCity56,100 GBP60,900 GBP23,700-88,600 GBP
LincolnCity55,300 GBP60,800 GBP25,800-91,700 GBP
CanterburyCity55,200 GBP58,200 GBP26,400-83,900 GBP
WinchesterCity54,900 GBP60,200 GBP27,400-90,000 GBP
WakefieldCity54,300 GBP57,100 GBP24,200-83,800 GBP
CambridgeCity54,100 GBP61,400 GBP27,400-88,000 GBP
SalisburyCity54,100 GBP61,400 GBP24,400-87,600 GBP
KirkwallCity53,300 GBP54,200 GBP25,300-83,300 GBP
InvernessCity53,300 GBP54,500 GBP25,300-80,500 GBP
TruroCity52,800 GBP58,400 GBP23,600-87,000 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion52,800 GBP58,200 GBP23,600-87,400 GBP
WellsCity52,600 GBP54,900 GBP22,000-80,500 GBP
StrontianCity52,300 GBP55,100 GBP22,200-80,400 GBP
AbingdonCity51,800 GBP54,100 GBP23,100-82,200 GBP
St DavidsCity51,400 GBP54,600 GBP22,000-83,700 GBP
BangorCity51,300 GBP56,800 GBP25,300-83,000 GBP
RiponCity50,100 GBP55,500 GBP25,300-81,700 GBP
StromnessCity49,800 GBP53,600 GBP21,300-80,200 GBP

Veterinary Assistant in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a veterinary assistant make per month in United Kingdom?

    A veterinary assistant in United Kingdom earns about 4,883 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 58,600 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a veterinary assistant in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level veterinary assistants in United Kingdom start near 25,500 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 93,100 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 42,600 and 83,900 GBP.

  • Is the median veterinary assistant salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 64,800 GBP, higher than the average of 58,600 GBP. Half of veterinary assistants in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for veterinary assistants in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a veterinary assistant in United Kingdom earn around 6% more than women on average (59,800 vs 56,600 GBP a year).

  • Do veterinary assistants in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 36% of veterinary assistants in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do veterinary assistants earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a veterinary assistant about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do veterinary assistants in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A veterinary assistant in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 11% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.